The present invention relates to a cassette tape loader, and more particularly to apparatus for extracting a tape leader from a tape cassette for presentation of the leader at a splicing location for splicing recording tape to the leader for loading the recording tape into the cassette.
Heretofore, cassette loading machines have included a tape extractor which vacuum sucks a tape leader from the cassette to be loaded and transports the tape leader to a splicing position while the tape leader is held under vacuum pressure during transport. The tape leader is thereafter vacuum sucked onto a pair of splicing blocks in which the tape leader is cut and spliced to recording tape for loading into the tape cassette.
As the tape leader is carried down across the splicing blocks by the extractor, the splicing blocks suck the leader down immediately causing the leader to pull from the vacuum of the extractor holding the leader. Once the leader tape is set to the splicing blocks, a separator arm mechanically separates the upper portion of the tape leader from the lower portion so that the lower portion may be spliced to recording tape.
Because a vacuum source is utilized to hold the tape leader during movement of the leader from the cassette to the splicing position, the rate of movement of the leader from the cassette is limited by the amount of tension placed on the leader, which tension can not overcome the force supplied by the vacuum force holding the leader during transport. Also, the vacuum sucking of leader onto the splicing blocks conjointly with the pulling away of the leader from the extractor often provides misalignment of the tape across the splicing blocks. Also, the two portions of the leader in some cases stick together preventing the separator arm from separating the two portions prior to performing the splicing operation. The separator arm will not uniformly contact the tape leader each time the tape is vacuum sucked onto the splicing blocks where tape misalignment and sticking together of the tape occurs.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an extractor device for extracting a tape leader from a cassette and moving the tape leader to the splicing location in such a fashion as to overcome the above-described problems.
It is yet another object of the present invention to increase the speed with respect to which a tape leader may be withdrawn from a tape cassette and moved to a splicing location.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an extracting device which more accurately positions the tape leader of a tape cassette into a splicing position.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an extractor device for extracting a tape leader from a tape cassette for movement of the tape leader under tension into a particular spatial relationship with the separator arm for permitting separation of the upper and lower portion of the tape leader in a uniform fashion for unobstructed cutting and splicing of the tape leader.